260 Western Live-stock Management 
therefore may cause sickness and loss due to impactions. 
The ration is benefited either by feeding some wheat 
bran, oil méal, or alfalfa hay. In some of the more remote 
sections, the horses work largely on either grain hay or 
wild hay. Under these conditions, they cannot perform 
the amount of work that they could if fed on more concen- 
trated feeds. In the humid valleys of the north coast, a 
large amount of oats is fed with clover, timothy, cheat or 
grain hay. These make ideal feeds for horses, and many 
of the best horses are produced here. In the northern 
irrigated valleys, oats and some barley usually comprise 
the grain feed, with timothy, timothy and clover, or 
alfalfa for hay. In the southern valleys, especially Cali- 
fornia, the horse feed is largely barley with alfalfa or 
cereal hay. 
WATER, SALT, CONDIMENTS 
The principal point to consider in the watering of horses 
is that they receive their water at regular periods, so as 
not to drink too much. It is usually better to water before 
than after feeding, but regularity is more important than 
the time of watering. Salt should be kept before the 
horses where they can have access to it, or it should be 
given to them often so that they will not desire too much 
of it at one time. Condiments are feeds that are used 
for special purposes, such as special stock foods, and are 
used to tone a horse up for some special purpose or to 
keep him in good condition. Usually these are not advised, 
as the best condiment that the horse can have is good feed 
and care. Occasionally a worm medicine or something of 
the kind may be needed, and if so, should be prescribed’ 
by a reliable veterinarian. 
